Green Bay — It was approximately 1:45 p.m. (CST) on Sunday. And it appeared the obit was about to be written.

In Green Bay, the Packers were struggling on both sides of the ball and had fallen behind Atlanta, 21-10. In a Philadelphia snowstorm, the up-and-down Detroit Lions held a 14-0 lead on the host Eagles.

If both scores held, Detroit's magic number to eliminate the Packers from the NFC North title chase would have been down to one.

But on a wild and wacky NFL Sunday — in what's been a topsy-turvy season — both games did a total 180. And amazingly, the Packers are right back in the hunt for a third straight division title.

Green Bay rallied to defeat Atlanta, 22-21, while the Eagles stormed back to topple the Lions, 34-20. Chicago also defeated Dallas on Monday, setting up what promises to be a thrilling final three weeks of the regular season.

Both the Lions and Bears are 7-6, although Detroit holds the tiebreaker advantage due to a pair of wins over Chicago this season. Green Bay is 6-6-1, a half-game behind both teams.

Due to the mediocrity of the division, the two wild-card spots are almost certain to come from elsewhere in the conference. So for the Packers, Lions and Bears, winning the NFC North will be their only possible ticket to the postseason.

For the Packers, they're just thrilled to still be in the hunt.

"We're just thankful to be in a position to still make some noise," fullback John Kuhn said. "Obviously, we still need a few more things to happen, but we're still in position and that's big."

Defensive end Mike Neal agreed.

"We don't give up man," Neal said. "People can be against us, but we don't give up. You keep fighting and good things happen for you."

Since the NFC North became a four-team division in 2003, the average number of victories by the division winner has been 11.6. The fewest amount of victories by a division winner in that time was 10.

But timing is everything. And as the Packers struggle through what's guaranteed to be their lowest-win total since 2008, the rest of the division has had immense problems themselves.

Detroit's 28 turnovers are tied for the second-most in football, and the Lions rank 28th in turnover differential (minus-10). Detroit would be running away with the division if it could hold onto the ball.

In Chicago, starting quarterback Jay Cutler has been out since Week 10 with a high ankle sprain. But the offense hasn't been the Bears' problem. Chicago ranks last in the NFL in stopping the run and in yards allowed per carry.

So despite Green Bay going 1-4-1 in the last six games without quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Packers are somehow squarely in the mix.

"We've just got to keep winning, man," tight end Andrew Quarless said. "It's crazy that we can be 6-6-1 and still be in it. Since I've been here, we've never missed the playoffs. I don't want to make this the first time.

"So we're definitely in playoff mode. In previous seasons, it hasn't been so early that we have to be in playoff mode. But guys stepped up and we're still in it."

On paper, at least, the Packers have the most difficult remaining schedule.

Green Bay finishes the season at Dallas (7-6) on Sunday, home with Pittsburgh (5-8) on Dec. 22 and at Chicago (7-6) on Dec. 29. Green Bay's final three foes are a combined 19-20 for a .487 winning percentage.

The Bears are at Cleveland (4-9) and Philadelphia (8-5) the next two weeks and then host Green Bay (6-6-1) in the regular season finale. Chicago's three foes have a .474 combined winning percentage.

Detroit hosts Baltimore (7-6) and the New York Giants (5-8) the next two weeks and then travels to Minnesota (3-9-1) to finish the season. The Lions' final three foes have a combined winning percentage of .397.

"If we don't win the next game, what does this mean?" Neal said. "We won one, but who cares. We've got to go win another one."

According to the website bovada.com, Detroit is a 1-to-2 favorite to win the division. Chicago is at 5-to-2 and Green Bay is 9-to-2.

But the Packers know that anything can happen.

Back in 2003, Green Bay seemed as good as gone in the final seconds of the season. Then Arizona's Josh McCown threw a touchdown to Nathan Poole on the final play of the regular season — a throw that knocked Minnesota out of the postseason and vaulted the Packers into the playoffs.

Ironically, McCown is now quarterbacking the Bears — and perhaps another memorable closing stretch awaits the entire NFC North.

"We're never going to give up," defensive end B.J. Raji said. "That's just not in our makeup. That's not what coach teaches us. That's not in the DNA of the individuals that are selected by our personnel department. I'm happy with this win, but we've still got a long way to go."